Jamaica, Venezuela Refuse to Recognize U.S.-Backed Haitian Government

President Aristide is spending his third day in Jamaica, where he returned Monday two weeks ago after being taken by force to the Central African Republic in what he calls a US-orchestrated coup d'etat.
By returning to the Caribbean, the Haitian president defied Washington as well as the newly installed Haitian government.

The US-installed prime minister of Haiti, Gererd Latortue, said Monday he was recalling Haiti's ambassador to Jamaica and putting relations on hold over Aristide's return to the region. He also suspended Haiti's participation in Caricom.

Latortue reportedly settled on a list of 13 cabinet members yesterday to form an interim government in Haiti. None of the positions include any members of Aristide's Lavalas Family party. Latortue had pledged earlier to include Lavalas members in order to form a government of national reconciliation.

Jamaica says it will not recognize the new Haitian government at least until after a regional summit of the Caribbean Community scheduled for next week.

In addition, Venezuela is also refusing to recognize Latotue's government. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said, "The president of Haiti is called Jean-Bertrand Aristide." Chavez offered asylum yesterday to Aristide, who initially fled to Caracas after the first coup in the early 1990s.

John Maxwell, a veteran Jamaican journalist. He has covered Caribbean affairs for more than 40 years. He is currently a columnist for The Jamaica Observer ( http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/ ). He joins us on the phone from Kingston.

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